Thursday, 29 August 2024

North-Eastern Metropolitan Region

Richard WELCH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:41): (1086) My constituency matter is for the Minister for Education. Recently I had the pleasure of meeting with Koonung Secondary College and principal Andrew McNeil. As principal, Mr McNeil has provided strong leadership and vision, driving upgrades and rebuilds of the 1960s-built Koonung Secondary. An important step in this case is the addition of eight new classrooms and open learning spaces. However, there is a problem: the first half of the building was completed, and then subsequently Melbourne Water changed the flood zoning, meaning a farcical situation where the second half of the same building has to be higher than the first, significantly adding to cost, delay and loss of utility of the building. I ask that the minister intervene and speak with the Victorian School Building Authority and Melbourne Water to ensure the second half of the building can be grandfathered under the approvals that existed at the commencement of stage 1 and ensure a commonsense solution to the problem for the school and the school community.